Dorothy Schiff

Dorothy Schiff, (born March 11, 1903, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died Aug. 30, 1989, New York City), American newspaper publisher of the steadfastly liberal New York Post.

Schiff attended Bryn Mawr (Pennsylvania) College in 1920–21, and for some years she led the life of a wealthy debutante and socialite. During the 1930s, however, she became interested in social service and reform. She served on the boards of the Henry Street Settlement, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the Women’s Trade Union League of New York and became involved with several other welfare groups. She also abandoned her inherited affiliation with the Republican Party and became an active Democrat and New Dealer.

In 1939 Schiff bought majority control of the New York Post, the nation’s oldest continuously published newspaper (founded in 1801 by Alexander Hamilton). She took the titles of director, vice president, and treasurer and installed her second husband, George Backer, as publisher and president. With his resignation due to illness in 1942, she became president and publisher—the first woman newspaper publisher in New York—and in 1943, divorcing Backer, she assumed the titles of owner and publisher. From 1943 to 1949 she was married to Theodore O. Thackrey, who served as editor of the Post in that period.

Under Schiff’s direction the Post was a crusading paper devoted to liberal causes, staunchly supporting unions and social welfare legislation. It also published an array of the most popular newspaper columnists, particularly during the 1940s, when its pages featured the commentary of Franklin P. Adams, Drew Pearson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sylvia Porter, Elsa Maxwell, Leonard Lyons, Eric Sevareid, Joseph Kraft, and others. From 1951 to 1958 Schiff also wrote a regular Post column, “Publisher’s Notebook,” later called “Dear Reader.” In 1961 she assumed charge of the news department, and the next year she took the newly created title of editor in chief.

In 1976 Schiff sold the Post, New York’s only remaining afternoon newspaper, to Australian publisher Rupert Murdoch. She remained a consultant to the New York Post from 1976 to 1981.